Watch live coverage of a news conference featuring Gov. Greg Abbott, House Speaker Dennis Bonnen and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, courtesy of KXAN-TV.
Texas Legislature 2019
The 86th Legislature runs from Jan. 8 to May 27. From the state budget to health care to education policy — and the politics behind it all — we focus on what Texans need to know about the biennial legislative session.
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Texas Legislature 2019
Analysis: A Texas House speaker’s first act is to put together a list
Texas House members made Dennis Bonnen their speaker this week. When he names committees in the early days of the session, they’ll get their first hard look at what kind of leader he is.
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Texas Legislature 2019
Dan Patrick misses first day of legislative session to help with President Donald Trump’s border wall address
His office said he’ll be back in Texas on Wednesday.
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Texas Legislature 2019
On first day of session, Gov. Greg Abbott talks priorities and politics
Abbott discussed his agenda for the 86th legislative session during an interview Tuesday with The Texas Tribune.
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Texas Legislature 2019
James Talarico, youngest state representative in Texas Legislature, settles in for the 86th session
After besting Republican Cynthia Flores for his open Williamson County seat, the 29-year-old Democrat from Round Rock joined the Texas House on Tuesday amid plenty of jokes and words of wisdom.
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Texas Legislature 2019
Texas House names Dennis Bonnen new speaker on celebratory opening day
Bonnen’s unanimous election marks a new era of Texas House leadership for the first time in a decade. Meanwhile, the leader of the Texas Senate, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, was conspicuously absent on opening day.
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Texas Legislature 2019
Photos from the new Texas Legislature’s first day
Check out our photographers’ shots of the visitors, the speeches and the election of the new speaker of the House.
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Texas Legislature 2019
Retirement and low pay caused Texas agencies to lose nearly 29,000 employees last year
Advocates for state workers are calling for increased pay after a State Auditor’s Office report released in December found that agency turnover was at 19.3 percent in the 2018 budget year. The top reasons employees said they left were retirement, better pay and benefits and poor working conditions.
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Texas Legislature 2019
Watch Texas House and Senate livestreams
During the 86th legislative session The Texas Tribune is streaming the Texas House and Senate chambers and providing live analysis during select events. Tune in here.
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Texas Legislature 2019
Everything you need to know about the first day of the Texas Legislature
The 140-day sprint to the finish line will finally begin today, when state lawmakers convene in Austin for the Texas Legislature’s 86th regular session.